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Tofu biryani
By Niaz Caan (cityspice.co) Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins | Cook 30 mins
300g (1½ cups)
basmati rice, washed
in running water
2 dry bay leaves
6 cloves
6 green cardamom pods
2.5cm (1in) piece
of cinnamon
2 black cardamom pods
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium carrots, finely
diced, to cook quickly
2 medium potatoes,
finely diced
2 heaped tsp ginger-garlic paste
coriander (cilantro)
360ml (1½ cups)
vegan yoghurt
2 heaped tbsp
garam masala
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander powder
75g (½ cup) raw
cashew nuts
350-400g (1¾-2 cups)
extra-firm tofu, cut into
small cubes
salt and ground black
pepper, to taste
3 green chillies, slit
fried onions, to garnish
roasted cashew nuts,
to garnish
1 Place 2 cups of water for every cup of rice in a pot (or, if you know how to, use your fingers to measure). Add three cardamom pods (green and black), bay leaves, and cinnamon. Also, add three cloves and 1 tsp cumin seeds. You are doing this to make the rice smell amazing and bring out some of the flavour. Salt the water, get it boiling and, once it simmers, put the lid over the pot and let the rice cook until it is three-quarters done.
2 Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
Heat a pan with oil over medium heat.
Once the oil gets hot, drop in the rest of your dry spices and start toasting them. Release that fragrance into your kitchen!
3 Drop in the chopped carrots and potatoes and season with salt and black pepper. Cover the pan and let these cook through, will take about 5 minutes. Next add the ginger-garlic paste, coriander and mint, and stir them in. Add the tofu, the soy yoghurt, and then your dry powders, and stir these in too. Add the rice over the newly-formed biryani base, and then sprinkle in the fried onions and cashews. Stick this pan into the oven for 15 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked.
4 Get a large wooden spoon, mix the rice and base together, and there you have it! Delicious tofu biriyani. Garnish with roasted cashew nuts and some fried onions for crunch.
Tip
IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH COOKING THE RICE AT ABOUT 80% IN A RICE COOKER. THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS THE RICE TO BE TOO SOGGY WHEN MAKING THE BIRYANI.
NUTRITIONAL INFO
Calories (per serving) 672| Total fat 25.1g Saturates 2.7g | Salt 0.25g | Sugar 5.3g Carbohydrates 94g | Protein 27g
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By Remy Morimoto Park Serves 4-5 | Prep 15 mins | Cook 50-60 min
